Bill Crouch, baseball player, 1939-1945

Bill Crouch

Born: 8/20/1907 in Wilmington, DE, USA

Died: 12/26/1980 in Howell, MI, USA

MLB Debut: 1939-05-09 | Final Game: 1945-09-11

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: William Elmer Crouch

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Biography

Bill Crouch, born in 1907, was a professional baseball pitcher who had a noteworthy career spanning from 1939 to 1945. Known for his steady presence on the mound, Crouch compiled a career record of 8-5 with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.47 over his playing years. He struck out a total of 55 batters and recorded 7 saves, showcasing his ability to perform in critical moments. Crouch's contributions to his teams during the war years reflected the resilience and determination of players who competed during a time when many athletes were serving in the military. Crouch's playing style emphasized finesse and control, which allowed him to navigate through the challenges of the era. His career unfolded in a period marked by changing strategies in the game, as teams began to rely increasingly on specialized pitchers. Despite not being a star at the level of some of his contemporaries, Crouch's solid performance and reliability on the mound earned him respect among teammates and opponents alike. His legacy is a testament to the many players who contributed to the sport during the tumultuous years of World War II.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
8 5 50 12 4 0 7 155.7 159 60 10 52 55 3.47 0

Career ERA 3.47 vs. league average 3.96 across their career seasons — 12.4% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1939 BRO NL 4 0 6 3 3 0 0 38.3 37 11 14 10 2.58 4.28 (+40%) -363.1
1941 PHI NL 2 3 20 5 1 0 1 59.0 65 29 17 26 4.42 3.94 (-12%) 398.9
1941 STL NL 1 2 18 4 0 0 6 45.0 45 15 14 15 3.00 3.94 (+24%) -
1945 STL NL 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 13.3 12 5 7 4 3.38 3.67 (+8%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
50 41 4 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 10 0.073 0.156 0.073 0.229 0.0

Career AVG .073 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — 72.5% below league average.

Career OBP .156 vs. league average .334 across their career seasons — 53.5% below league average.

Career SLG .073 vs. league average .374 across their career seasons — 80.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.229 vs. league average 0.708 across their career seasons — 67.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1939 BRO NL 6 15 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0.133 — — — — 0.0
1941 PHI NL 20 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0.091 — — — — 0.0
1941 STL NL 18 13 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1945 STL NL 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 50 0 7 33 1 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1939 BRO P 6 0 3 4 0 0
1941 PHI P 20 0 3 19 1 1
1941 SLN P 18 0 0 7 0 0
1945 SLN P 6 0 1 3 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 50

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti MI 1927, 1928